Road to Friendship

I do not own Fruits Basket.

Sure, they hated each other. Didn't mean they couldn't share a snack together- on opposite sides of the table of course.

Kyo never was a morning person.

Yes, in high school he did wake up the earliest, often up and ready before the others opened their eyes. However, back then he got the sufficient 8 hours of sleep needed.

Now, while juggling three jobs, his devoted time to the new dojo, and spending some time with Tohru, it was no wonder he was always tired in the morning.

So of course, he was never in a good mood at this time of day.

And seeing the cunning, sly smirk of Yuki Sohma didn't help the cause. At all.

"Wha… Wha-a…"

"I know you are overtaken by the stunning beauty of me, but please, lets try to keep the awe to a minimum." Yuki looked up, his violet eyes dancing with mischief. Kyo felt a vein pop.

"Why… you…"

"Are you going to invite me in?" Without waiting for an answer, Yuki walked into the small apartment, a single head turning to view everything.

"Wow…" he scoffed at the bareness of it all. "You know, the Sohma house does have a bank account set aside for you Kyo. You might want to look into it."

"I won't accept help from them," Kyo growled, turning away from his adversary. "Besides, me and Tohru get along just fine like this."

"Uhuh…" the visitor still did not look convinced. Kyo growled again.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kyo raised an eyebrow. "If you're just here to annoy me, the door is that way."

"Believe me, I have better things to do then that," Yuki scoffed again. "I'm here to visit Tohru. Where is she?"

"Work," Kyo mumbled, turning to the kitchen to prepare a snack for the unwelcomed guest, considering he didn't appear to want to leave.

"Tsk, Tsk and you're here at home?" Yuki shook his head in disbelief. "Tsk, Tsk…" Kyo growled and switched the stove off. The bastard didn't deserve a snack.

"Hey hey… if you aren't going to finish that…" Yuki started for the stove. Kyo's eyes widened.

"Hell no!"

"Ahh… where you always this good at cooking?" Yuki sighed contently, his mischief intent in his words. "Of course, it cannot compare to Tohru's but still…"

"Why are you still here?" Kyo grunted, resting his head in his hands and looking the opposite direction. "If you really are here to annoy me…"

"I'm here to see Tohru of course!" Yuki brightened. Kyo sighed. It was an obvious answer, it wasn't like the rat was here to see him anyway.

"I think she'll be back soon."

"Oh," was the only reply he received, and then it was silent. Both sat there uncomfortably, eating their noodles and not looking at the other. They were still pretty awkward, which was expected after years of animosity.

"Thanks for the noodles," Yuki smiled at Kyo after finishing his bowl. "Mind if I look around? Not there is much to see anyway." Kyo grunted in anger, but nodded as Yuki stood from the table and stretched.

Turning around, he gave the small apartment a closer look over. Despite its size, it was homey, and had a feeling of love and happiness eradiating from every corner. He could see Tohru's touch in it, mixed with Kyo's simplicity. Pictures of the happy couple filled up much of the walls, their memories framed there.

"You seem to treat Tohru well," Yuki finally commented, looking back at Kyo with a wide grin. The redhead stared back suspiciously.

"Why, were you worried?" Kyo asked. "Were you sent to check up on how I was treating her? Acting like child services…"

"Nono…" Yuki laughed at this. "I care a lot about her, almost like she's my mother. I'm happy if she's happy." Not understanding the reference, Kyo shrugged and went back to eating.

"Though, a whole clan of Sohma's would be more then willing to kill you if I let slip the state you guys are in…" Yuki trailed off. Kyo just returned it with a smirk.

"And what was it you said before about Tohru's happiness?" Yuki chuckled again, before the two returned to silence, the only sound from the rustling of the trees outside.

"How's it going with you and that girl?" Kyo surprisingly opened the conversation again.

"You mean me and Machi?" Yuki looked surprised Kyo even knew he was in a relationship. "It's going great. She's going to the same university as me, and we're considering moving in together." He smiled at that thought, and Kyo nodded, understanding.

"Tohru keeps wanting to visit her, to thank her for the gift," Kyo continued. "I told her to just call, but she just insist on a visit."

"Tohru always was caring," Yuki smiled softly. "I'll tell Machi, maybe we'll come to visit together." He chuckled as Kyo let out a groan, obviously not pleased with that idea.

"Yeah she does though," Kyo recovered and poured more water in his cup. "She's been calling Uotani and Hanajima to check up on them and Kureno and Rin, and last week, when Kisa and Hiro visited, it was such a love fest for them."

"With the hearts and everything?" Yuki grinned, remembering their moments back in the Sohma's house. "I feel bad for Hiro."

"Heh, don't. Hiro was the same." Kyo shuddered at the memory of Hiro all loveys dovey with Tohru. It was a scene he didn't want to see again.

"Well, Tohru did make a big impact on us." Yuki murmured, finding a group picture of the day Tohru and Kyo left. Everyone was in tears, but looked genuinely happy, a first in so many years of living with the curse. "I mean, everyone is happier, in love and gets along with each other better…"

"She changed all our lives," Both knew how much truth that statement held, especially to the pair of them. Tohru represented a figure of love, someone that cared for the two when no one else would.

The silence returned, as the pair fell into deep thought over the matter.

"How much do you love her?" Yuki quietly asked. Kyo looked up sharply.

"More then anything, even myself." He answered firmly. "I'd do anything for her." Yuki nodded slowly, still in thought.

"You really were the best choice for her," he stated. Kyo looked at him with curiosity. "I used to think I could care for her better, but now… now I realize I can't beat you in the amount of gratitude you have for her."

"You really are social services, huh…" Kyo joked, but smiled gratefully for the compliment.

"You know…" Kyo started again, causing Yuki to look up sharply from his food. "If it weren't for you though, none of this would have happened." Taking in Yuki's confused look, he furthered his explanation.

"It's because of you, bringing Tohru to the house in the first place. It's cause you kept her there, and always comforted her when I didn't. You were always such a good friend to her, when I couldn't even look at her." He paused, looking subtly at the other.

"Then you went and stole her from me…"

"That's-"

"And made her happier then I've ever seen."

Kyo froze. Yuki smiled at him.

"I don't regret anything that happened between us three. I never would have been able to care for her in a lover's way that you can. And I never would have met Machi if I was with her." Yuki paused, stilling for a second. "And I never would have any form of positive relationship with you if not for her." He waited for a scathing remark to that, but none came. Looking up, he saw Kyo sitting there, smirking in deep thought.

"No insult to that?" Yuki joked tensely. Kyo sighed and chuckled.

"I want to, it was insanely cheesy," he looked up with a slight smirk. "Yet, I can't believe I'm saying this, but its true." The two grinned, returning to their meals.

"Isn't it funny, how only a year ago, we would have been at each other's throats?" he continued, slurping up the last of his noodles. "Yet now, here we are, sharing a meal together like civilized men."

"Aww… don't get to sympathetic over our every encounter," Yuki joked again, enjoying as Kyo steamed up at his words. "We grew up, that's all."

"To a big cat and a big rat?" Kyo played along, and both chuckled. A more comfortable silence fell over them.

"Kyo! I'm home!" The unmistakable voice of Tohru rang in the air causing both to turn and welcome her. "Ah! Yuki-kun! Y-You're here!"

"I missed you too Tohru," he pulled her into a hug as Kyo looked on. The two began animated chatter over how the rest of the Sohma's were, leaving Kyo alone in the kitchen.

Everything he said was true though, Kyo thought as he cleared the table. As much as he would not like to admit it, his relationship with Yuki was much more improved then long ago. Ever since Tohru stepped in their house, his life had changed dramatically, especially his relationship with his former enemy.

And as Yuki turned and gave a slight grin at the other, Kyo couldn't help but think,

And it's definitely better this way.